The federal government expects measures that track the flow of money will help hunt down those behind the explosion of extortion crimes in Brampton, Mississauga and other parts of Canada.

Minister of Finance and National Revenue Francois-Philippe Champagne will be in Mississauga today (Feb. 19) to provide details of the plan that will bring together police departments, banks and government agencies to share information that will help identify extortionists’ financial habits and ultimately lead to arrests.

Brampton and Mississauga have been a hotbed for extortionists who typically operate in the South Asian community, targeting businesses and wealthy individuals by demanding cash. If the victims don’t pay up, they experience threats, including unwanted visitors who shoot up their homes and businesses.

Many Brampton residents report that gunfire is heard nightly and is so frequent that it often goes unreported, as victims believe police alone are not equipped to deal with the extensive crime wave.

In Brampton and Mississauga, the number of extortion-related crimes has spiked since 2020, with 490 crimes reported in 2024. There was a slight drop-off in extortion incidents in 2025, but the number of businesses targeted continues to climb, with nearly 200 incidents reported so far in 2025.

In Surrey, B.C., the police department has indicated that foreign students, struggling to make ends meet, have been accepting payments to carry out the threats on behalf of the extortion gangs. Surrey Police has subsequently recorded several videos, some in Punjabi, warning students of the dangers of joining organized crime networks.

The mayors of both Brampton and Surrey have asked the federal government for help to fight extortion crime, and hope that Champagne’s announcement is the first of many steps the federal government will take to help curb the violence.

 

 


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